Which Way to Turn?

You are flying the VOR-A approach into Salem Memorial (K33) in your Cessna 182. The airport has no tower, with Class E airspace starting at 700 feet AGL. The winds favor Runway 17. You dive n drive after the DME stepdown and break out at 680 feet AGL with the runway in sight two miles ahead. Do you (a) cross midfield and make left downwind to 17, or (b) turn right to the upwind leg for Runway 17 and make left traffic from there, or (c) turn left before reaching the airport and make right traffic for 17.

Editorial Staff

Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

At uncontrolled airports in Class G airspace, IFR pilots, including those conducting circling approaches, are required to follow the standard left-hand traffic pattern direction unless airport markings or signals explicitly indicate otherwise, a rule consistently affirmed by FAA interpretations.
ATC lacks authority to authorize non-standard traffic patterns at uncontrolled airports in Class G airspace; however, they can issue such authorizations for airports with Class E surface areas.
Pilots are ultimately responsible for safety, and while some deviations from standard patterns may be legally permissible (especially in Class E with ATC authorization), "legal" does not always equate to "safe," emphasizing the need to prioritize avoiding conflicts with established traffic flows.

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You are flying the VOR-A approach into Salem Memorial (K33) in your Cessna 182. The airport has no tower, with Class E airspace starting at 700 feet AGL. The winds favor Runway 17. You “dive ‘n drive” after the DME stepdown and break out at 680 feet AGL with the runway in sight two miles ahead. Do you (a) cross midfield and make left downwind to 17, or (b) turn right to the upwind leg for Runway 17 and make left traffic from there, or (c) turn left before reaching the airport and make right traffic for 17.

All three sound like reasonable choices. Each will enable you to keep the runway in sight while maneuvering for landing. If you choose (c) because, after all, you are IFR, you’re not alone. But you probably busted 14 CFR 91.126(b).